Chapter 177 Being Jealous
It was New Year's Eve in a blink of an eye. Wen Mingqian kept everything simple because he lived in a temple.
She sent Aoshuang back to celebrate the New Year with her family, leaving only Sang Er to accompany her.
During the New Year's Eve vigil, she went to the Buddhist hall dedicated to Ah Shou and Ah Hui's spiritual guardian, and placed a small spiritual tablet between the two of them, but it was empty and had no words written on it.
She stayed there all night and returned to her room to rest at dawn.
If she was still in the Gong family, she would be busiest at this time, as she would open the door on the first day of the first lunar month to welcome the new year.
But now she could catch up on her sleep without any scruples, and she didn't get up until Sang Er brought lunch in at noon.
But even in the temple, you can't always be at ease. After the second day of the Lunar New Year, every family begins to invite New Year's tea.
Wen Mingqian received more than a dozen posts, and this was just before the Lantern Festival.
Naturally, everyone couldn't go, and those who couldn't went responded politely and said they were rude.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Wen Mingqian was going to Jiangxiahou Mansion for a banquet, so he decorated it a little and looked a little more colorful than usual.
Before the banquet started, everyone was talking about King Changliu.
"This prince is already in his thirties, why doesn't he accept a concubine?"
"I've been stationed at the border all year round, and I can't even see a decent woman, so how can I talk about getting married?"
"That's not what he said. The Holy Father tried to grant him a marriage several times, but he refused. I really don't know what the prince is thinking."
"Didn't I say that when the prince was young, he was determined to immortalize the Huns, so why did he start a family?"
"Do you really believe it? Huo Qubing also said this, didn't he also marry a wife and have children?"
"I don't know. Anyway, over the years, many of the noble ladies in the capital have fallen in love with the prince, but in the end they all ended up sad."
"Are all the guests here?" the grandma of Jiangxiahou Mansion asked with a smile.
"There is still one Miss Wen left." The housekeeper said, "She has promised to come."
"Just wait a little longer!" Mrs. Qian of Jiang Xiahou said, "She will definitely come if she says she will come."
Because Wen Mingqian was mentioned, someone also mentioned her.
"Speaking of which, why did Mrs. Wen leave the Gong family without incident?"
"Who knows? It's really puzzling. My son has entered the Sanjing Academy. He is so proud of his ancestors, and the palace family treats her very well. Instead of being a good mistress, he lives in a nunnery."
"Yes, I have never heard a word from the Gong family about her, nor have I heard anything bad happened between them."
"Every family has its own sutras that are difficult to recite. Just like when a person drinks water, he knows whether it is hot or cold. I think it was Gong Er who broke her heart. Otherwise, how could she not survive?"
"That's not necessarily true, right? Maybe her temper is too tough. Men's families are just like that. They just turn a blind eye and get over it. If you seek perfection and blame, how can you get through it?"
"Didn't you say that the second palace has already discussed the marriage?"
"Oh my god, when did things happen so fast?!"
"It happened two years ago and two years ago, haven't you heard?"
"Oh my, this man really...can't wait."
"Don't just talk about men, you have to marry again after all! The position of mistress cannot be left vacant, besides, the woman insists on getting divorced, which is different from being widowed." Wen Mingqian was listening when he came in. Of course she wouldn't mind when people were talking about her, she just pretended not to hear them.
Her arrival silenced everyone's chatter, and everyone acted in tacit agreement as if nothing had happened, greeting each other with smiles.
"The guests are all here, let's take a seat!" Ms. Qian stood up with a smile, "It's the first year of the year, so we have to liven it up."
Wen Mingqian took off her cloak. Today she was wearing a chinchilla coat covered with silver vermilion silk, and a snow-green cotton silk skirt underneath.
Her dark hair is covered with a coral comb, earrings and a necklace of the same color.
These decorations make her elegant and beautiful, not to mention her appearance is first-rate.
However, when everyone's eyes fell on the spring water jade she wore around her waist, their expressions couldn't help but change.
It's just that some people endured it, while others just screamed out in surprise.
"This...Ms. Wen's jade pendant...is so beautiful...so exquisite..." The person who exclaimed was the grandma of Yong'an Marquis Mansion.
She felt she had lost her composure, so she had to use words to cover it up.
"Grandma has really good taste. This jade pendant is indeed rare." Wen Mingqian smiled slightly.
"Ms. Wen, who gave you this jade pendant?" Mrs. Linchuan asked curiously.
Her son Xu Mang and Gong Changan are good brothers. Although she and Wen Mingqian don't have much contact, it's still okay to ask.
In fact, most of the people present were very curious about this, and she finally asked everyone what they thought.
"This jade pendant was given to me by Her Royal Highness the Princess." Wen Mingqian said without hesitation, "He also asked me to keep it with me."
Everyone smiled and said a few innocuous flatteries, but deep down they were shocked and suspicious.
Wen Mingqian clearly felt some extremely unfriendly eyes looking at her. She looked back with a smile and recognized those people clearly.
Of course she knew that being so high-profile would arouse hostility, but that was what she was going to do now.
Because while being jealous, she also showed her own strength, and as expected, someone quickly extended kindness to her.
"Ms. Wen, please sit next to me!" The speaker was a woman in her thirties, with a petite figure and a pointed face. Her almond-shaped eyes were shining brightly, and she looked like a crystal-hearted person.
"Thank you, madam, for your kindness. Then I won't refuse." Wen Mingqian sat down next to her. This person was Princess Zhao's niece, Mrs. Liu of Yunyanghou.
Wen Mingqian and she had never dined together before, but now she took the initiative to invite him. It can be seen that it was the credit of this spring water jade.
"Hey, why is my handkerchief missing?" Not long after the banquet started, Ms. Liu couldn't find her handkerchief.
"If you don't mind, madam, just use this piece of mine! It's still new and unused." Wen Mingqian took out a handkerchief and handed it over.
Generally, female relatives will prepare two extra handkerchiefs when visiting other people's homes. Wen Mingqian happened to bring two of them today.
"This handkerchief is so well embroidered. Is it your craftsmanship?" Ms. Liu asked with a smile, "It smells good! What kind of fragrance is this? It smells so good."
"I mixed the incense myself. If Madam likes it, just take it." Wen Mingqian said.
"I've never heard anyone say that Mrs. Wen is good at mixing incense. Why don't you come to my house one day and teach me how to do it?" Mrs. Liu was partly because she really liked the fragrance on the handkerchief, and the other half was because of her own nature. I just want to get to know Wen Mingqian.
"Oh, this Madam Wen is really good at dancing! Did you see that? It's only been a little longer, and she is having a heated fight with Mrs. Yunyang Hou again." Someone said sourly not far away.
"Huh, he's just a guy who wants to be popular!" Some people complained.